Documenting Sources: MLA and APA

Modern Language Association (MLA) Style

"MLA style is widely used in literature and languages as well as other fields in the humanities" (Lunsford 367). MLA style requires parenthetical citations in the text of an essay to document quotations, paraphrases, summaries and other material requiring documentation. Keep your parenthetical citations short, but include the information your readers need to locate the full citation in the list of works cited at the end of the text.

For more information. . . MLA Examples from The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/DocMLA.htmlThis site provides information on parenthetical documention, and information on how to cite various sources, such as articles, books, and government publications. It also provides examples of MLA Works Cited pages and electronic sources.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style

The rules of APA format were established by the American Psychological Association as guidlines for writers in the field of psychology, sociology, and other behavioral sciences. Its focus is on conciseness, clarity and simplicity. The format is used by "writers around the world" (APA web page).

The APA website (http://apastyle.org) contains links to tutorials on APA style as well as the Publication Manual.

PLAGIARISM

To avoid plagiarism, carefully cite all information taken from another author, using the format (e.g. MLA, APA. Chicago, CBE, etc.) assigned by your instructor. Shasta College Board Policy 5410 states that plagiarism is a matter of academic dishonesty. According to the Shasta College Course Catalog 2002-03, “Academic dishonesty“ is defined as follows:

"Academic dishonesty is the willful and intentional fraud and deception for the purpose of improving a grade or obtaining course credit, and includes all student behavior intended to gain or provide unearned academic advantage by fraudulent and/or deceptive means. The student has the full responsibility for the content and integrity of all academic work submitted. Ignorance of a rule does not constitute a basis for waiving the rule or the consequences of that rule. Students unclear about a specific situation should ask their instructors, who will explain what is and is not acceptable in their classes. Violation of this policy will result in appropriate disciplinary action. Examples of such unauthorized behavior include but are not limited to: [. . .] Plagiarism [which is] Failing to give credit for ideas, statement of facts, or conclusions derived by another author. Failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or a part thereof" (23).